Classification and Class-Modeling of “Riviera Ligure” Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Using Chemical−Physical Parameters

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 2002-04, Vol.50 (8), p.2444-2449
• Main Authors: Boggia, Raffaella, Zunin, Paola, Lanteri, Silvia, Rossi, Nicoletta, Evangelisti, Filippo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture - methods; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Cholesterol - analogs & derivatives; Cholesterol - analysis; Climate; Fat industries; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Italy; Linoleic Acid - analysis; Oleic Acid - analysis; Olive Oil; Palmitic Acid - analysis; Phytosterols; Plant Oils - chemistry; Plant Oils - classification; Stigmasterol - analysis
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf011289m

The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) “Riviera Ligure” for extra-virgin olive oils from Liguria specifies three additional geographical mentions corresponding to three different geographical areas. To obtain a complete characterization of this typical Italian product, 217 samples of olive oils produced in this North Italian region during 1998/99 and 1999/2000 were analyzed. For each sample 31 variables were determined by chemical−physical analyses, and the data were subjected to a multivariate statistical analysis. For the 1998/99 crop, characterized by favorable climatic conditions, class-models of the three geographical areas were obtained with good predictive ability, also considering the influence of the month of olive harvesting. The oil samples from the 1999/2000 crop were similarly studied, but bad climatic conditions and a widespread Dacus oleae infestation leveled out the peculiar features of the oils produced in the three areas. Keywords: Extra-virgin olive oil; Riviera Ligure; PDO; chemical−physical parameters; classification; class-modeling; harvesting and agronomic conditions